Despatch and distributing system.



A. w. PEARSALL.

DESPATCH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 2!.1913.

l ,Q56fi3? Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: LVVENTOR.

"an ATTORNEY.

A. W. PEARSALL.

' DESPATCH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21.19x3.

K Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES-H JNVENTUR.

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ALBERT W. PEARSALL, 0F LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON COMI- IPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DESPATCH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Application filed June 21, 1913. Serial No. 774,966.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. PEARSALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Despatch and Distributing Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly topneumatic despatch tube systems and especially to a combination of such systems with automatic means for removing and selectively receiving and distributing carriers delivered through the transmission tubes.

The carriers which may thus be automatically handled may contain parts for machine assembling; powder, etc., for the manufacture of cartridges; checks and money, or checks alone, covering cash or credit transactions, etc.

In certain cases the automatic selecting and distributing means may receive carriers initially propelled by other than fluid pressure and I hence desire not to be limited to pneumatic despatch systems except when the claims appended hereto specifically so indicate.

The combinations of elements hereinafter described are, however, of special value in pneumatic despatch systems and the preferred embodiment of my invention herein disclosed accordingly pertains to such a system.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a receiver for pneumatic despatch tube carriers, after their delivery from any type of receiving terminal that will permit of their reception. without in-" jury, automatically and positively retaining them in a position to be consecutively and automatically removed by suitable mechanism.

An important feature of' the inventio'n is the provision of means for automatically removing the carriers so retained in said receivers, for separating said carriers into groups or classes and distributingthem at determined points in such manner that an individual, cashier, authorizer or other operative for, if desired, each of said classes, may handle them without other'eifort, mental or manual, than the removal of said carriers from determined repositories, together, of course, if desired, with an inspection of the contents thereof. 0

These and other objects of my invention will behereinafter referred to and the novel elements and combinations of elements whereby said objects may be attained will be more particularly set forth in said claims.

Referring to the drawings, which form a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views :-I have exemplified, as

Fig. 2- is a section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; the section being taken on line IIII of said figure.

Fig. 3- is an enlarged detail of portions of the collecting and distributing apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4- is a detail front view of a frag- "ment of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is, correspondingly, a detail front elevation of the upper portion of said apparatus shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of sections of the belts used in the distributing apparatus; said view further illustrating the differences between the carriers to be assorted The despatch tubes incoming to said stai are held temporaril pivoted to the members 8 at 9'.

tion have been designated 1, and the out going tubes, 2.

A drum 3, assuming the system to be of the vacuum type, is in communication with the tubes 4 leading into the tubes 1 in a known manner; the receiving terminals 5 being also of any suitable construction; the

carriers emerging from the tubes 1 thereinto provided with curved movable members 8,

which may be 'pivotally connected, as at 9, to the casings 7 and which are so shaped that the carriers may descend through the casings 7 and will have their path of movement changed before coming to rest, so that said carriers will repose in said members 8 at an angle approximating45.

The carriers 10 or 10', as the case may be,

in place in the. memretaining elements 11 These elements preferably are made of light rods bent, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, to form bers 8 by means, 0

loops the transverse portion of each lower being adapted for engagement with the upper portion of the front end or felt head of the carrier when the latter descends loop into the corresponding member 8 'and'thereby serving to retain said carrier in its inclined position above referred to.

Thislower loop is so shaped, also, as to enable this transverse portion thereof to clear the projections 12 which are provided upon the ends of the carriers 10, while the upper loop 11 of the'element 11 extends up, preferably into a slot in a carrier latching member 13. I

As shown Fig. 5, the members 8 are slotted upon t e respective sides thereof at their lower extremities as at 8', to permit of the passage therethrou h of hooks 14;, which project upwardly from preferably metal sections 15 secured to the belts 16 and lower extremities of the members 8, said.

hooks will always pass freely beneath the lplops or elements 11 without disturbing em.

It should be noted in this connection that the downward swing or movementof the members 8 is also limited by the engagement of the portlons 19 thereof with the respective lower extremities 19 of the .casings 7.

The plates or sections 15 also have *upwardly extending therefrom fingers 20, the upper ends of which are preferably bent in, as at 20 to adapt them for engagementwith the side portions 'of the elements 11, as indicated in the left hand portion of Fig. 5.

As the belts 1616, upon which the parts 14, 15 and 20 are mounted, are driven in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 5, the transverse portions 20 engage and swing the respective lower loops of the element 11 laterally and upwardly so that they may each clear the end of the carrier which may, at such time, happen to'be retained therein.

Immediately thereafter, or substantially c0- incidentally with this release of the carrier, the corresponding pair of hooks 14, which have passed through the slots 8 in the walls of the members 8, engage the rear annular surface 12' of the lower or forward ,head of said carrier, and aided by gravity, pull it out of its holding member 8, so that the carrier is free to fall downwardly onto the belt; the curved ti 22 of the retainin loop riding on the shel of the carrier and preventing the loop from catching on the removed; the point 13' of the hook of member 13 being en disposed at the end of its inward movement; as indicated by dotted lines in the left hand portion of Fig. 5.

As indicated'in Figs. 4 and 6, the forward head of the carrier will be in advance of the hooks 1-1 and is received into a recess 23 in the plate 15; the belt being correspondingly apertured beneath the plate 15 to permit of the entrance of the carriers thereinoo. This aperture in the belt is extended rearwardly, but of'somewhat less width, so as to accommodate the body of the carrier; While said aperture is again enlarged as at 2 1, to re ceive freely the rear bad of the carrier.

The plate 15- is pre erably relativelynarrow in the direction of the length of the belt and is flexibly connected or joined to short strips or links 25, which may also be of metal; the rearextremities of these strips being correspondingly connected to a plate 15' of substantially the same form as the plate 15.

By virtue of this jointed construction the metal or relatively non-flexibleparts, disposed around the opening in the belt which receive the carrier, are able to accommodate themselves to the ,assage of the portion of the belt to which 'ey are-attached around a pulley. At the same time, while the belt is v through the aperture in a or'jointed metallic plates 1515 secured thereto prevent rupture or undue stretching at this point. It may be noted that the plates 15-15 may be secured to the belt by rivets 26, or in any other suitable manner.

. The belts 1616 are preferably disposed side by side, passing around idlers 27 and a pulley 27; the latter being fixedly connected to its shaft 28 and driven by an electric motor 29 and belt 30, as indicated in Fig. 1.

' By reason of the disposition of the idlers and pulleys 27-27, the circuit of each belt is substantially rectangular, and normally only that portion of the belt traversing the upper side of the rectangular course is utihzed. 0

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it will be noted that the carriers designated 10', since they have no projections 12 at the ends thereof, are free to drop the belt into which they are deposited, until they rest upon the smooth bottom 31 of the channel-way in which the belt travels and are drawn along by said belt until they encounter a chute 32 (or 32, as the case may be) whereupon they drop completely through the belt into said chute.

On the other hand, those carriers designated 10, which are provided with extensions or projections 12, cannot fall through the belt, since said projections engage the plates 15 and 15 respectively and will pass over the chute 32' or 32 and will not be deposited from the belt until the portion of thelatter into which they extend encounters the idler 27, toward which it is being moved. Thereupon, since the belt is drawn downwardly away from the carrier; the heads of the latter will only rest upon the said bottom 31 until the forward head of the carrier is free to enter a chute 33, correspondingly to the belt 16, or chute 33, in line with belt 16, as the case may be (see Fig. 1).

In this way one class of carriers-may be intermingled with a second class in the despatching tubes; and the receivers and the portions of the tube delivering thereto will contain, possibly, a heterogeneous collection of carriers which are successively removed from each of the respective receivers by the elements 20 and books 14. when the aperture in the belt, corresponding to the pair of hooks, is unoccupied by a previously intro duced carrier.

Assuming, however, that a. carrier has been delivered fromthe left hand receiver in Fig. 1 to the corresponding belt :--when said carrier encounters the pivotal member 8 of I the next receiver it merely swings the latter,

together with the carrier which may be therein and the loop 11 pertaining thereto, up out of the way, so that the trips or fingers 20 immediately adjacent cannot engage the element 11 of this next receiver.

Immediately thereafter the member 8 of said receiver drops back into its normal position, so that thereafter the first unoccupied pair of hooks which pass therethrough will remove the lowermost carrier in such receiver in the manner above described.

Accordingly, carriers delivered to the receivers will be successively removed practically in the order of their arrival at the station; and will be not only conveyed to points where they may be inspected or otherwise disposed of, but will be sorted according to their respective classes.

If des1red,the belt which conveys carriers from the more remote group of terminals may have its speed proportioned to the belt receiving from the terminal group nearer the discharge hoppers 3333, so that the average time of transit from the terminal group A to its hopper 33 will equalthat from group B to its hopper 33'.

Let us assume that the carriers designated 10' are cash carriers and that those designated 10 are credit carriers. It is evident that all cash carriers will 'be deposited in one of the chutes 3232, there being, in the present instance, two of these chutes, one for each of the belts. Correspondingly, all credit carriers will be delivered to one or the other of the chutes or hoppers 33 -33, according to which belt they are being conveyed by. i

I have shown by way of exemplification but two terminals in a group, but in practice, of course, a considerable number of terminals may deliver at a given point in a station. Conveniently spaced from a first group A there may be a second group B; and one belt 16 will be disposed to receive carriers from the terminals of group A, while a sec- 0nd and preferably parallel belt 16' will receive carriers from the terminals in group B. In Fig. 2, for convenience of illustration,

the terminals in group A have been omitted. The chutes or hoppers 32 and 32, which respectively receive carriers 10 from belts 16 and 16 are preferably adjacentlydisposed so that the operative stationed at this point need at no time reach any considerable distance.

Correspondingly, the chutes 33 and 33' In stores, for example, it becomes of the utmost importance to provide prompt service for credit customers who expect to merely present a check or other identifying token and to receive their goods without delay.

, For this reason credit transactions are given preference over cash. transactions, and attempts have been made to meet this demand by relaying the credit carriers, delivering all carriers, cash and credit, to one desk and by having an operative stationed at this'point to select the credit carriers from the mass and forward them through a separate tube, or in some other suitable manner, to the credit desk. This necessitates the employment, frequently, of an additional operative, and renders the prompt transmission of credit carriers subject to the'human equation.

Furthermore, when the cash and credit carriers are intermixed and are delivered to the usual shelf or extension of the terminal tube, provided with an opening near the lower extremity thereto of sufficient size to permit of the removal of but one carrier at a time, the creditcarriers will be held up pending the removal of preceding cash carriers and, frequently, even the disposition of the contents of such cash carriers.

The system herein described obviously does away with all of these objectionable features and insures a prompt transmission of credit carriers to the credit desk, substantially in the order in which they have been delivered to the station; while at the same time automatically sorting the cash carriers from the credit carriers and delivering these in practically sequential order to the operative at the cash desk.

The remaining parts of the system need not be particularly referred to, since they may be of any known description; and it will suflice to say, therefore, that the parts designated 3% are the despatching terminals of the system, while the hoppers 3232 and 33--33 respectively deliver to carrier receiving shelves or repositories 3535 and 3636 of a known construction; each of these shelves being provided with the usual aperture 37 adjacent the lower extremity thereof, through which the carriers may be removed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim 15 1. The combination of a pneumatic desneaepav carriers from said system after their arrival at said terminal, said mechanism having carrier head engaging devices adapted to co-act with said carriers and co-acting means to distribute the latter selectively in accordance with the classes of said carriers.

2. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube system having a terminal, with a continuously driven mechanism for auto matically removing carriers from said system after their arrival at said terminal, said mechanism having devices adapted to co-act with said carriers and coacting means to distribute the latter selectively in accordance with the classes of said carriers.

3. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube system having a terminal provided with a receiver having means for holding a carrier delivered to said receiver therein, mechanism for releasing said carrier from said receiver and conveying it away therefrom, said mechanism having parts adapted to selectively receive the released carriers in accordance with the classes of said carriers and co-acting means for distributing said carriers according to their respective classes. a

4:. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus having a terminal provided with a receiver in which the carriers delivered to said terminal normally come to rest, means for effecting a dislodgment of said carriers from said receiver, mechanism for receiving and supporting the dislodged carriers, said mechanism adapted to,

hold or support one class of said carriers dilferently from another class, and separate means for receiving the respective difl'erently supported carriers.

5. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus having a terminal provided With a receiver in which the carriers delivered to said terminal normally come to rest, means for efiecting a dislodgment of said carriers fro in said receiver, co-acting mechanism for receiving and supporting the dislodged carriers, and co-acting means for receiving carriers from saidinechanism in accordance with the classes to which such carriers pertain.

6. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus having a terminal provided with a receiver in which the carriers delivered to said terminalnormally come to rest,means for eiiecting a dislodginent of said carriers from said receiver, co-acting conveying mechanism for receivin and supporting the disloc ged carriers, ant co-aeting means for receiving carriers from said mechanism in accordance with the classes to which such carriers pertain.

7. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube apparatushaving a terminal provided with a receiver in which the carriers delivered to said terminal normally come to rest, means for effecting a dislodgment of said carriers from said receiver, co-acting conveying mechanism for receiving and supporting the dislodged carriers, and coactlng means for receiving carriers from said mechanism in accordance with the classes to which such carriers pertain, carriers of difl'erent classes conveyed by said mechanism traversing a determined path to a determined point, said conveying mechanism having parts adapted to support carriers in one class while leaving carriers of another class substantially unsupported at said point.

8. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus having a terminal provided with a receiver into which the carriers are delivered, co-acting power driven conveying mechanism for receiving carriers pertaining to a plurality of classes from said receiver, said mechanism having carrier holding parts, and co-acting means for receiving carriers from said mechanism in accordance with the classes to which such carriers pertain, carriers of difl'erent classes conveyed by said mechanism traversing a determined path to a determined point, said carrier holding parts adapted to support carriers in one class but to release carriers of another class at said point.

9. The combination of a pneumatic des patch tube apparatus having a plurality of terminals and transmission tubes adapted to deliver carriers of difl'erent classes to said terminals, with a mechanism common to said tubes and terminals for automatically receiving and conveying carriers of said different classes away from said terminals, said mechanism provided with means for distributing carriers according to their respective classes.

10. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus having a plurality of terminals and transmission tubes adapted to deliver carriers of different classes to said terminals, a mechanism common to said tubes and terminals for automatically receiving and conveying carriers of saiddifferent classes away from said terminals, said mechanism provided with means for automatically assorting and distributing carriers according to their respective classes.

11. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube through which carriers of differ ent classes are propelled indiscriminately, with a combined assorting and distributing mechanism adapted to receive said carriers therefrom, said mechanism having provisions for selectively supporting said carriers and unloading them according to classes at diflerent points along a determined path traversed by parts of said mechanism, and means for driving said mechanism.

12. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube through which carriers of different classes are propelled indiscriminately, with a combined assorting and distributing mechanism adapted to receive and selectively support said carriers, said mechanism being extraneous to said tube and adapted to receive carriers of all of said classes successively therefrom, and means for driving said mechanism.

13. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube through which carriers of difi'erent classes are propelled indiscriminately, with a combined assorting and distributing mechanism adapted to receive said carriers therefrom, said mechanism including a flexible element provided with means for variably engaging pneumatic despatch carriers according to the class thereof, and means for driving said flexible element.

14. The combination of a plurality of pneumatic despatch tubes through which carriers of different classes are propelled indiscriminately, with a combined assorting and distributing mechanism common to said plurality of tubes and adapted to receive said carriers therefrom, said mechanism including a flexible element adapted to move said carriers away from said tubes, said mechanism including means for supporting said carriers, during their conveyance by said flexible element, for variable distances, carriers of one class being freed from the action of said flexible element before carriers of a second class.

15. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube provided with a receiver to which carriers of different classes indiscriminately traversing said tube are delivered, with an asserting mechanism including a flexible element provided with carrier engaging parts and spaced means or eliecting the removal from said receiver of said carriers and the disposition of the latter selectively with respect to said carrier engaging parts.

16. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube system having a terminal provided with a receiving part, extraneous power driven means for removing carriers successively from said receiving part, and means for retaining carriers in said receiving part until removed by said power driven means, said receiving part adapted to hold a carrier about to be removed therefrom at an angle to the horizontal.

17. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube system having a terminal provided with a receiving part, extraneous power driven means for removing carriers power driven means for removing carriers successively from said receiving part, and

' means for retaining carriers in said receivcall removin carriers from said s stem ing p'art until removed by said power driven means, said receiving part adapted to deliver carriers endwise thereof to said power driven means.

Q 19. The combination of a pneumatic despatch tube through which carriers of difierent classes are propelled indiscriminately, Witha combined assorting and distributing device including a moving flexible element provided with apertured parts into which said carriers may enter, said device having means for retaining said carriers in said apertured parts for a determined distance from the point of entry thereinto and for releasing carriers of only one of said classes after said distance has been traversed.

20. The combination of a carrier despatch system proper having a terminal part, with a mechanism having means for automatiafter their arrival at said part, said mechanism having continuously driven provisions adapted to co-act with said carriers and means, coacting with said mechanism, to efi'ect a distribution of said carriers selectively at points outside of said systemin accordance with the classes of said carriers.

21. The combination of a carrier despatch system having a terminal receiver,-with a mechanism having means for automatically removing carriers from said receiver, said mechanism including a continuously driven flexible thereof and provided with parts adapted to co-act with said carriers and means. coacting with said flexible element, to effect a distribution of said carriers selectively in accordance with theclasses of said carriers.

22. The combination'of a carrier despatch system having a terminal receiver, with a normally continuously operating mechanism to which carriers of different classes are delivered from said receiver, said mechanism provided with selective supports for said carriers and with means to co-act with said supports for assorting and distributing said carriers according to the classes thereof.

23. The combination of a carrier despatch system having a terminal receiver, with 1;

element movable longitudinally.

mechanism to which carriers of different classes are delivered from said receiver, said mechanism including a flexible conveying element provided with jointed supporting parts for some at least of said carriers and a revoluble member around which said element passes, said mechanism adapted to unload carriers unsupported by said parts at a determined point, and to unload other carriers supported by said parts at another oint. p 24. The combination of a carrier despatching system having a terminal receiver with a mechanism to which carriers of diflerent classes are delivered from said receiver, said mechanism including a conveying element tured conveying element having parts adapt.

ed to support'carriers of one class and to leave carriers of a second class unsupported 1n the apertures of said-element, means for inde endently su 0rtin said carriers of- P PP 1::

the second class or only a determined distance from said receiver, and means for separately dislodging said carriers of said first class from said supporting parts.

26. The combination of a carrier despatching'system having a plurality of terminals proper, withiapparatus to which carriers are delivered from said terminals, said apparatus having a conveying element com-- mon to said terminals and provided with means for engaging said carriers to efi'ect movement thereof away from said terminals,'said apparatus having yielding means for permitting the safe passage of a carrier being conveyed by said,element-, past a carrier-laden terminal located adjacent the path of movement of said carrier.

27. The combination of a carrier despatching system having a plurality of terminals proper, with apparatus for collecting carriers 'from said terminals, said apparatus comprising yieldingly mounted receivers to which said carriers are delivered from said terminals and a carrier conveying element common to said terminals and receivers, the

yielding mounting of said receivers permitting of the safe passage tlierepast of previously loaded carriers.

28. The combination of a carrier despatcllsystem having a p'iumiity 0i terminals proper, with apparatus fer coilecting car- Tiers from said terminals, said. apparatus comprising yielding-1y mmmted receivers to which said; carriers are delivered fee-n1 said 'terminaie and carriei" cenveying element common in said terminals and receivers the yieldin mmmting of said receivers permi'b ting DI the safe passage itherepasi; cf previously loaded cemiers, said previously loaded. carriers adapted to lift subsequently encountered receivers and pass; ihereuncier,

29. lhe cembineticn cf a carrier despatching system having a plurality of "terminals pz'epeig with apparatus for ceilecting ear tiers from. said cerminais, said epmmtue eomprieing eiding pivemiiy moun'i'ed receivers h saici carriers wee deiivere'rii from terminals and carrier-L- cenveyin element ccmmc-n is said 'berminais and 1eceivers, the yielding mounting ef said we ceivers permit bing of the safe passage there past of previously loadeci carriere 30. The combination of a carrier despai'cehing; system, a receiver for carriers traversing said system, e conveying" elemene movable past said receiver, a part carried by said element for engaging carriers to Withdraw them from said receiver, said receiver being apertured to permit said part to pass therethrough, and means for driving mid cumveying element. n

In "testlmcny "whereof haveafiifcerl my signature, in. the presence of We Witnesses.

ALBERT LFJEARSALL, 'Witnessee:

ISAAC Kemsmq, ETHEL Jormm. 

